PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) seems to have given in to political pressure as it agreed on Thursday to a compromise and fixed monthly charges for illegal connections till installation of electricity meters in areas getting power supply from 11KV Bara feeder.

“I have in a way got legalised the kunda (direct hook) power connections,” said parliamentary secretary on environment and MPA (PK-6) Fazl Elahi proudly. He said that power supply from two other feeders, stopped on the orders of the state minister for water and power Abid Sher Ali last week, was also resumed.

The minister had told a press briefing on April 8 that since January it was noticed that line losses and cases of power theft had increased in the areas covered by 30 of total 80 feeders of Pesco and ordered suspension of electricity supply from some feeders the same day.

Mr Fazl, who had been taking part in protests against Pesco earlier, met with the Pesco officials of Khyber circle on Thursday along with a jirga of local people and requested the Pesco officials for fixing Rs700 a month for direct hook connection till installation of regular connections to the consumers of 11KV Bara feeder.

A copy of minutes of the meeting, distributed among mediapersons by the MPA outside the provincial assembly, said that Rs500 was fixed as monthly charges since the people of the area were poor and could not afford to pay Rs1,000 a month.

Power supply was also restored on Thursday from two feeders supplying electricity to areas including Bazeedkhel, Hazarkhwani, Acheeni Bala and Payan, Bahadar Kallay, Pishtakhara, Sufaid Dheri and Sarband.

Asked how the provincial government would ensure security of the Pesco officials during installation of electricity meters since security situation in some areas is not good, the MPA said that the provincial government had deployed security personnel for the purpose.

“If Pesco sends its two employees, I will send 10 men to help them install a meter,” said the MPA who appeared in a jolly mood over his ‘achievement’. Mr Fazl said that he was also able to get a waiver of almost 85 per cent of the outstanding dues for consumers and they would now pay only 15 per cent of the dues.

He said that till every house in his constituency gets a meter, the consumers would not pay for excessive charges. He said that in his constituency (PK-6) there were only 3,000 meters while 9,000 electricity meters were needed to be installed.

Asked for how long the direct hook connections would be allowed, he said that Pesco had said that it would install meters within two to three months.